Hello, and welcome back! The soup pot just got its first workout of the week, but definitely not the last, with the forecast I saw earlier. The bread machine will be put through its paces as well, warming up the kitchen along with the soup pot. Maybe even some hot chocolate, depending on just how chilly it gets here. It's a very good week in the northeast to stay indoors with some good reading material, and I have the first of the November books here this week to share with you.

No Rest for the Wicked (Pocket Star) by Kresley Cole is up first with her second paranormal. This time, the Valkyrie Kaderin the Cold Hearted gets her story. Not only is Kaderin Cold Hearted, but she's truly without emotion after asking centuries ago for her grief over her dead sisters to be taken away. No emotion, that is, until she tries to kill the vampire Sebastian Wroth and he wakens things in her she hasn't felt in eons. And Sebastian realizes she is his Bride. If you're a regular reader here, you'll know how I feel about most vampire stories. But this isn't most vampire stories, thank goodness. This story has a really strong heroine more than capable of taking care of herself, and a hero who feels the need to try to take care of her anyway, yet still respecting her wishes when it really counts. What a fabulous story! I can hardly wait to get my hands on the next one in the series. This one has earned four and a half of Cupid's five arrows.

Darkfever (Delacorte) by Karen Marie Moning is next. MacKayla Lane's world is turned upside-down when her sister is found dead in Ireland. Mac wants answers, even though her parents want her to leave it alone, even though the Irish authorities claim they can't find any more leads. So she goes to Ireland to see what she can find on her own, and discovers things about herself she never knew (and, in some cases, never wanted to know). This wild new world is dangerous, and so is Jericho Barrons, who may be friend or foe. This is an interesting story (though the first person narration is definitely not my favorite, as the regular readers already know), set in an intriguing world. But it isn't a romance. At least not in this first volume in the series. A great fantasy novel, nonetheless. I'm very interested to see where this one goes, and I'm hoping it goes into a real romance.

In case you missed the latest newsletter, for readers in Pennsylvania, five romance authors are gathering in Lancaster this Saturday, October 28, 2006 from 2 - 4 p.m. for a booksigning at Waldenbooks #0426 in Park City Center. Maggie Shayne, Mariah Stewart, Terri Brisbin, Elizabeth Keys, and Diana Holquist will all be there, and if you'd like more info on this signing, please drop me an email.